Sensitive door edge switch



P. R. FORMAN SENSTIVE DOOR EDGE SWITCH i FNVENTQRF E? Par/5 R. Frman ATT 5; -v may@ Filed March 29, 1932 Pa'tentedbec.` i

`y UNITEDSTATKES PATENT OFFICE y mms' It. FORMAN, OFZRAHWANEw aERsE'Y, AssIGNoR To NATIONAL` PNEUMATIC COMPANY, or 'New YORK, n. Y., A CORPORATION or WEST VIRGINIAY sENsITrvE boort EDGE SWITCH Applicationfiea Marchas, 1932. serial No. 601,758.

This invention relates ingeneral to improvements in the construction ofthe switch now' extensively employed within the flexible 'i edge of power operated Ldoorsffor `vehicles and the'lik'e. i

' i Themain object of the invention isv to this nature which, while simple in construction, is Of such a ruggedV nature as `to insure correct operation thereof in commercial use. This .invention involves a number `of objects which are ysuccessfully secured thereby by reason of the construction employed, as

`will appear from the following` description.

This invention residessubstantially in the combination, construction, arrangement `and relative location of parts, all as willfbe set forth in detail below in connection with the attached drawing. i

Referring to the drawing; e t Y y I i Figures 1 and 2, taken together,'represent a verticalcross sectional view throughfthe edge ofa door to which' this `invention has 'been' applied, with some parts broken away,

toy reduce the size of the figure. y

l Fig.` 3` is an end elevational view ofthe device.I

It is common erated doors reversing mechanism under the y control of a switch mounted on the door which is positioned so as to engage anyobstruction in the path of the door as it closes.y

Thisfswitch is connected to the reversing mechanism which controls the power device for operatingthe doory so that if the door strikes anobstruction and closes it, the power device is reversed and the door opens. It is common practice to mount this switch on the forward edge of the door within aflexible protecting casing of rubberized fabric, for example, so that it may be Voperated by pressure on the casing. Such `devices `are used on sliding doors," as well as ,on folding doors, either Of the single ordoublesection type.

The invention will bebetter understood by reference to the drawing z-The switch has been shown applied' to a two-section sliding door in which the sections slide towards and awayfrom each other in closing and opening.

practiceinl the transportation The forward edges of these doors are shown at 1 and 2 provided with flexible casings 3 and 4 mounted so as to provide a closed space in'- conjunction with the doors. rThese flexible f casings may be made of sheet rubber, rubberf ized fabric and similar materials. vide an improved form of switch structure of The space within the casing 3 containsno mechanism and may, if desired, be filled with al resilient material, such as sponge rubber. Within the space formed by casing 4 is mounted the switch of this invention. Mounted on the forward edge of door 2, near the top thereof, are U-shaped channel plates 5 and 5a secured together by a block of insulating material 50. This unit, made up of the plates 5 and 5a, is secured to the forward edge of door 2. Secured to the plate 5a is a supporting block 7, towhich the terminal clip 8 is secured. The block 7 is provided with an arm 9 to which one end of a coiled spring 10 is secured. The other end of the spring is secured by means of an attaching loop 11 to one of the electrodes 12 of the switch. This electrode is in the form ofalong thin metal band which is sup ported at its other end by means of an arm 14 pivotally mounted at 15 on another U-shaped plate 6a secured to the forward edge of the door 2 near the bottom thereof. The band 12 is secured to the arm 14 by a pair of screws 13. Arm 14 extends beyond the pivot point, as indicated at 16, so as toengage the plate 6a and limit the rotation ofthe arm in one direction as will be obvious. A second block 17 is mounted upon plate 5 and has secured to it a terminal clip 18. Secured to this block at one end is a coiled spring 19 which has its other end attached toa short arm 2O pivotally mounted on the i y l trode 22 in the form of a thin metal band lis secured to the arm 20 by the attaching means 21. f The other end of `band 22 is secured byv machine screws 23 to an arm 24 pivotally mounted at 25 on theplate 6. This arm like- 'wise hasan extension 26 to limit rotation of- As will he noted ythe extensions on arms 14 late 5. A second elec-v eoY and the whole unit is attached to the forward edge of the door. The controlling circuit wires will, of course, be attached to the terminal clips 8 and 18. n

In the operation of this device if the doors in closing strike an obstruction, flexible edge 14 will, of course, collapse and as a result electrode 12 will move into Contact with electrode 22 to completev the controlling circuit` to ef-k y feet reversal of movement of thel motor whichv operates the doors. y

vArms 14 and 24 are so mounted lthat if eX-y c'ess Vpressure is placed on thecollapsible edge they may oscillate towards the door, or if the door strikes an obstruction opposite either one of them they may likewise rotate, preventing any undue strain on the parts and preventing injury to a person if the obstruction be a person. The springs 10 and 19 will, of course, return the parts to normal position and normally hold them in the position shown in the drawing. ment is known in the art as a sensitive door edge?"which, as will be apparent, merely involves a collapsible or deformable door edge which operates a switch.

From the above description it will be appar ent that this invention resides in certain novel features of construction which may be elfected in other ways by those skilled in the art,

l ,and I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly 40 limitedv to the disclosure as given for purposes of illustration, but rather to the vscope ofthe appended claims.

"'lVhat I seek to secure byUnitcd States VLetters. Patent is:

1. A mechanism as described, comprising a door having a collapsible casing securedto the edge thereof, a pair of electrodev bands mounted on theedgeof the door within the casing in i spaced relation, resilient means attached to said bands for holding them under tension, and means for holding the bands normally in spaced relation.

2.v A device as described comprising a door, a pair of electrode bands, means for attaching saidA bands to the edge of the door at one end of the bands, resilient members attached to the other ends of the bands and secured to the edge ofthev door, meansfor holding closing the forward edge of the door and said electrodes;-

V3. A device as described comprising in combination with a door, a pair of pivotally 05' mounted arms on the door edge, a pair of Such an arrange-v .the bands in spaced relation and" insulated from each other, and a flexible casing en-- Awith a door, apair of arms pivotally mountedvon the edge of the door, a pair of ,contA ducting electrodesy secured to said arms', pair of springs attached to'saidy electrodes j and secured to the edge of the door, means introduced between the electrodes' for holding them normally out of Contact, and a protecting casing enclosing all of said parts and at tached to the edge ofthe door.

`5. A device as described, comprising a door, a pair of arms pivotallym'ou'nted onl the vedge ofthe door, a pair ofl metal bandsseCured to said arms, springs for attaching the other ends of said bands to the edge of the door, means for limiting rotation of the arms under'the tension of said springs, and `flexible means for enclosing all of saidelements. 4

6. A device as described, comprising a door, 9U a pair of arms pivotally mountedv on the edge ofthe door, a pair of metal bands secured to said arms, springs for attaching the other* ends of said bands to the edge of the door, Y n means forlimiting rotation Vof the arms un- 91'? der/the tension 'ofsaid springs, means for' normally holding the bands in spaced rela-, tion, and flexible means for enclosing vall ofY said elements. l

7 A device as described, comprising a door, 10) a pair 'of arms pivotally mounted on the edge ofthe door, a pair of metal bands securedto said arms, springs forV attaching the other" ends of said bands to the edge of the 'do-orf d means for limiting rotation of thea'rms un- 10S der the tension of said springs, means for normally holding the bands in spaced rela-I tion, flexible means for enclosing all of said elements, and means for making electrical?" n connection with `said bands. y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 24th day of March A. D;

PARIS R. FORMAN. v. Y g 11.5 

